


The Sun Goes Down Alone, But We Don't Have To

by peachykeen_jb



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Day At The Beach, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, I can't believe I'm writing DINLUKE now, Luke is emotionally stunted and Din has too much self-loathing, M/M, Obligatory ‘squad goes to the beach’ fic, Soft Din Djarin, Soft Luke Skywalker, Touch-Starved Din Djarin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29227857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachykeen_jb/pseuds/peachykeen_jb
Summary: “I’m so glad you could join us. I wasn’t expecting you to accept the invitation,” Luke said, trying his best to still sound calm and wise, even as he stood in front of the armored man topless and in ridiculous swim trunks with little tropical flowers on them. The Mandalorian merely titled his head.“Never would’ve guessed that Jedi took vacations,” he replied, the voice modulator making it difficult for Luke to tell if the other man was joking or not. “But thank you for inviting me.”AKA Din joins the Skywalker clan at the beach and feelings are revealed y'all.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Luke Skywalker, Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker
Comments: 7
Kudos: 284





	The Sun Goes Down Alone, But We Don't Have To

Luke Skywalker reclined on a striped beach towel, letting the sound of the ocean relax his busy mind. He was well aware of the confusing image. Jedi Knights didn’t tend to go on tropical getaways. But previous Jedi Knights didn’t have pushy twin sisters goading them into things.

Leia had rented a private beach on the far side of Sesid, a tropical planet in the Outer Rim, and pleaded with Luke to take a break and join her family for a few days. She claimed that she and Han needed a break from New Republic shenanigans, and she promised the beach was safe and remote. So Luke decided to trust his sister and his instincts, and he’d packed up his young, green Padawan for a week of relaxation and no training whatsoever. Ben and Grogu were currently playing in the sand at the edge of the water, constructing some kind of elaborate sculpture that looked like a mix between a tower and a mountain. It was healthy for Grogu to have “playtime” with someone close to his emotional age, and someday Ben (who was already Force-sensitive) would come train with them. It would make things easier if they were already friends.

Luke felt he’d made the right decision in coming on this trip. After spending the first nineteen years of his life on Tatooine, Luke never thought he’d enjoy a sandy atmosphere again, but the soothing sound of waves and the smell of the salt air separated the two in his mind. This was exactly what he needed to clear his mind. 

Suddenly Luke felt a shift in the Force as a new presence approached their private beach. He sat up on his towel and saw a glint in the distance, approaching from the direction of the tropical tree line.

It was the Mandalorian. He was marching toward them, seemingly having no trouble striding through the sand in his heavy boots. The sun reflected off his armor, giving him an almost holy glow. Luke’s throat immediately went dry and it had nothing to do with the hot summer air. It was going to be a lot harder to clear his mind when the distracting object of his affections was striding towards them like a shiny silver beacon. 

“Hey, Bantha-breath!” his sister called out, “I think I see your Mandalorian coming this way.”

“Yeah, I can see that, thanks Leia,” Luke replied with a roll of his eyes, “And he’s not my Mandalorian, he’s Grogu’s father.”

“Whatever you say,” Leia scoffed. She winked at Luke before reaching for Ben’s hand and leading him back towards the edge of the beach to give them some privacy. 

Luke shook his head and quickly stood, attempting to brush the sand off his body and look presentable before the other man reached them. Even though he was the one to extend the invite, Luke never dreamed he’d actually show up. Then again, he should’ve known that the man would seize any extra opportunity to spend time with Grogu. 

Din Djarin stopped a few feet away from Luke, shifting his weight to one hip and nodding in greeting. 

“I’m so glad you could join us. I wasn’t expecting you to accept the invitation,” Luke said, trying his best to still sound calm and wise, even as he stood in front of the armored man topless and in ridiculous swim trunks with little tropical flowers on them. The Mandalorian merely titled his head. 

“Never would’ve guessed that Jedi took vacations,” he replied, the voice modulator making it difficult for Luke to tell if the other man was joking or not. “But thank you for inviting me.”

“Honestly the whole thing was my sister’s idea, but it seemed like a good opportunity to take a break. Grogu’s been working very hard, he deserves some fun too.”

As if summoned by his name, Grogu suddenly appeared at his father’s feet. He let out a soft coo and waved his arms imploringly, asking to be held. Din immediately scooped him up and held the child to his chest. 

“He’s glad you’re here too,” Luke said, giving the pair a warm smile. 

“I can tell,” Din responded, letting out a small chuckle as Grogu held both sides of his helmet in his small grip, “Hey, not right now, Buddy. You know that.”

Luke understood exactly what he meant by that too. Even in the oppressive heat, the Mandalorian was not about to remove his helmet in front of the group. Leia and Ben were a fair distance away, while Han and Chewie were completely out of sight, fishing somewhere, but it didn’t matter. Luke wasn’t surprised, but he couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. It was a beautiful day at the beach, and if that wasn’t enough to get the man to take his helmet off, nothing was. He didn’t understand how Din wasn’t baking alive in that beskar-metal suit of his. Luke understood how dedicated he was to his Creed, but wasn’t there room for some exceptions? Luke himself was learning to modify the old Jedi code…

No, best to cut off those frustrated feelings right there. He was being selfish. Luke was self-aware enough to understand that he wasn’t actually questioning the man’s beliefs, he just  _ really _ wanted to see the man’s face again. 

Of course Luke knew what Grogu’s father looked like. He’d seen his face once before, when they’d first met. But he later learned from Grogu that the instance was an anomaly; he never removed his helmet, and until that day Grogu himself hadn’t known what he looked like underneath. After that, Luke’s own research on Mandalorians taught him that weapons and armor were a part of their culture, and were treated as seriously as a religion in some tribes. Clearly Din was very orthodox in his practices. 

The man was a mystery that Luke was only beginning to crack. 

Little by little more information was offered to him. Shortly after establishing a home base on Yavin 4, Din began visiting once a month. Luke had yet to find any more force-sensitive younglings, so the Mandalorian felt comfortable visiting Grogu and staying for a few days. Luke tried to give them privacy, but he felt their connection through the Force no matter where he retreated to. It was a comforting sensation that felt like  _ warmth, protectiveness, love _ . As much as Luke tried to avoid reading Din’s feelings without his consent, he couldn’t help but feel the sensations. The man was more emotive than he thought. It drew Luke like a moth to a flame. 

Even though he could feel his emotions, the Mandalorian was still quite capable at concealing personal information. Luke had only recently learned his name. During one of his first visits, Din had asked if it was okay for a future Jedi to receive possessions, which Luke found both respectful and adorable, and after receiving the affirmative, he started showing up with small treats for Grogu. Then he started bringing little gifts for Luke too. 

Usually it was something small: sweets from Birren or extra spicy jerky from Tatooine that Luke secretly loved. Luke would always awkwardly thank him, trying his best to prevent the dark pink blush from creeping over his skin when he touched the other man’s gloved hand. It was only last month when Luke was thanking him for his newest gift, when suddenly the other man blurted out, “You can call me Din, by the way. Din Djarin. That’s my name.” Luke had tried to cover his surprise by responding, “Oh. Then thank you, Din Djarin.” His name was as much a gift as anything else he’d given Luke.  _ Din Djarin _ . Luke loved the way it felt on his lips and on his tongue. The name fit him in a way Luke couldn’t describe. 

The sound of Grogu’s babbling broke Luke from his thoughts. Din was gently stroking his boy’s ears as they looked out at the water together. Grogu was waving one arm around and gesturing to the water, as if he was explaining the concept to his father. 

“You can splash around all you want kid, but I’m not getting in. I’ll stand here and watch you though.”

Grogu tilted his head to the side and cooed again, staring up at him. Din just shook his head. 

“Get the Solo kid to go in with you. Or Master Luke, he looks like he’s ready for a dip.”

Luke’s cheeks flamed red and it had nothing to do with the sun. He suddenly felt very exposed. “It’s the beach! It’s normal to wear a bathing suit, you know.”

“Of course it is.” 

“It’s not really my style, and I  _ know _ it’s not your style, but-” 

“Your attire is fine. I didn’t mean anything by it, I apologize if I offended you.” 

“Oh. I thought you were… nevermind,”

“I wasn’t making fun of you, I was stating a fact,” Din continued, “You look like you are ready to go swimming.”

“Right. Of course.”

Luke mentally kicked himself. Why did he turn into such a blushing schoolboy around this man? Obviously he wasn’t coming on to Luke or making flirty comments about his outfit. That would be ridiculous. Why would this seasoned warrior even give his attire a second thought?

Then again, Luke’s traitorous mind whispered, it was hard to ignore the way Din’s helmet had tilted to look his body up and down. Almost as if he was checking him out.

Luke shook his head and tried to clear his mind as Din handed Grogu over to Luke. He quickly took the child and plastered a smile on his face. 

“Okay little one, let’s go for a swim.”

***

Sometimes Din wished he wasn’t himself. 

He was watching Luke splash around in the water with his nephew and Grogu, and the look on the Jedi’s face was so… content. He didn’t give a second thought to the fact that he was half bare under the bright sun. The man had asked Din if he was comfortable at least three times in the past hour. Din merely shrugged him off, stating that he was completely content to stand under the ridiculous beach umbrella, watching from a distance. And of course he was sweating bullets under all his armor, what human wouldn’t be in these temperatures? But he couldn’t say that out loud. He didn’t have the right to complain about the life he’d  _ chosen _ to lead. 

He never used to feel jealous about others’ ability to reveal themselves so easily, but lately it was becoming a recurring intrusive thought. Maybe he could be one of those Mandalorians who took off their helmets whenever they pleased; the ones who casually shared meals in public and let their helmets rest on unclean surfaces. 

But as soon as Din had those thoughts, the familiar hot flood of shame washed over him. He felt guilty for questioning The Way like this. He shouldn’t want to reveal his face or body to others; by Creed he wasn’t an individual, he was an entity of his Tribe. To all outsiders, he was just a Mandalorian, and every action he took represented not just himself, but all of his people. Din had accepted this since he was a child, he’d always believed in it. 

So why had he been questioning his Creed more than ever this past year?

Din’s eyes were drawn back to Luke as he played with the younglings in the shallow waves. He was once again thankful for the helmet because at least it gave him the privilege of privacy when he couldn’t stop himself from staring. Luke laughed loudly when the kids splashed him again, and the sound made Din’s heart clench. 

He couldn’t deny it, the man looked good in a swimsuit. His body was pale and he had a smattering of freckles across his chest, but Din was more distracted by the way his lithe body seemed to glide into every action he made. He moved like a dancer through the water. His golden hair seemed to gleam in the sun, and the salty water glistening on his skin highlighted his toned chest. Din wanted to run his tongue over him-- he wanted to taste the salt on the other man’s skin. 

His face warmed at his own thoughts. It was wrong to think of his kid’s Master in that way. The man was beautiful and still so young. Yes, he was a trained Jedi who apparently played a major role in bringing down the Imperial Empire, but socially he was still a young man. Even if he picked up on Luke’s occasional flirty banter, Din told himself it was just youthful folly. He was young and playful, and he didn’t know what he wanted. It was Din’s fault for encouraging him. 

He’d started bringing gifts to Luke when he visited Grogu on Yavin. Din wasn’t oblivious, he knew that what he was doing could be interpreted as a courting ritual in some cultures. He’d just chosen to ignore the connotations because he liked watching the bright smile spread over Luke’s face when he brought him something new. That smile could light a whole planet. Din didn’t want anyone to make Luke smile like that except for him. But he knew that wasn’t fair. Luke wasn’t his. He could smile at whoever he wanted. 

Din was pulled from his self-deprecating thoughts by the sound of Luke’s voice calling out to him, 

“We have a set of cabins near the edge of the shore. There’s one for you and Grogu to share. You can take him up there for a break if you want.” 

Din recognized this as another attempt by the Jedi to allow him to politely excuse himself and take a break from the heat. But he could tell that Grogu was still having fun in the water, and he wasn’t about to do anything that made his kid unhappy just to satisfy his own needs. Instead, he waved off Luke’s polite offer. 

“No, he wants to play in the water. I’m fine just watching him. It’s what I do.”

“There’s no threat here you know. He’ll be fine if you want to take a break yourself. Leia ensured the highest levels of security,” Luke replied, giving his head a shake to toss his wet hair out of his face. Din watched a shower of small droplets fly from his honey-colored head and drip down his body. The man looked like he was in a damn holo-porno. 

Din swallowed his feelings and cleared his throat. “There’s always the possibility of a threat. I’d rather stay and keep an eye on him.”

Luke gave him a small, sad smile before nodding and turning away, accepting that the Mandalorian would not be convinced. Din felt guilty all over again for being the cause of the young man’s disappointment. 

For months now Din had been struggling over these  _ feelings _ he’d developed around the Jedi. It was obvious that the younger man was trying to get closer to him, but he was too respectful to even consider asking Din to reveal more of himself. Luke had no idea how often Din wrestled with the idea. Drifting through the stars, alone in his ship, he argued with himself constantly. 

Somehow the idea of baring his face around Luke didn’t feel as shameful as everything else. His visits to Yavin were the highlight of his month, and recently he’d noticed that he felt more comfortable there than anywhere else in the galaxy. He realized he would give up almost anything to continue experiencing the days when it was just him, Grogu, and Luke. It felt safe-- a private, secret little intimacy he was beginning to crave more and more. 

He’d never felt the urge to share these types of feelings before but there was something different about Luke. Luke was respectful about his Creed. Luke cared for his son. Maybe, just maybe, he could learn to be open with him. Maybe Luke would understand this constant struggle. 

Maybe he could try it tonight. 

***

Leia wasn’t surprised that her brother invited the Mandalorian to join them, but she  _ was _ surprised that he actually showed up. 

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?” she called over to the armored man, “Chewie’s a great cook, I’m sure he knows how to make a cold soup or something.”

“I’m fine. Thank you.” 

The sun was sinking low on the horizon, and the group had moved from the shore to the bonfire at the edge of the beach. There was an assortment of fish roasting over the fire (Han claimed that he and Chewbacca had caught an even number but one disgruntled roar from Chewie told Leia otherwise. She’d had a good laugh at that.). Her husband was currently de-boning a large piece of fish for Ben, and Luke and Chewie seemed to be arguing over the level of spice to put on the food. Leia was content to have her family together and relaxed for once. 

Meanwhile Din sat at the edge of the group with Grogu resting on one of his armored thighs. The little green womp rat was happily scarfing down the fish that Din passed to him from the plate he was holding in his other hand, but the Mandalorian didn’t partake himself. After a brief moment of hesitation, he’d accepted a coconut with a long straw that he could drink without removing his helmet, but that had been all. 

Leia watched Din pat Grogu on the back, quietly reprimanding him for eating too fast. She was surprised that despite a life with so much violence, he was still so gentle. It certainly made for an interesting picture; an imposing, heavily armored Mandalorian gently cradling the adorable baby on his lap. Leia noticed that she wasn’t the only one watching Din. Her brother kept stealing glances too. 

As soon as Luke started telling her about the Mandalorian father of his new padawan, Leia correctly deduced that her brother had a crush on the man. When she first met him, she worried that he would break Luke if something ever happened between them. But after watching him with Grogu and picking up on the weariness that surrounded this man through the Force, she realized he wasn’t capable of consciously hurting anyone. Not emotionally anyway.

Much like the krillcrabs that scuttled across the beach, his armor was a shell that protected a softer soul. He tried to hide that fact, but Leia was perceptive. As soon as she spent more than twenty minutes with the man, she realized that his quiet nature wasn’t meant to be menacing, like most bounty hunters. He displayed a certain vigilant protectiveness over anyone he deemed in need of protection, whether they actually needed it or not. This included Luke. 

But it appeared that the two men were at an impasse. Leia cut them a little slack because she knew that neither of them were used to handling normal, everyday life. Or normal emotions for that matter. Everyone was all a little messed up from the War after all. Plus neither the Jedi Order nor the Mandalorians were exactly known for being touchy-feely cultures. Still. They were both idiots. 

Leia hoped they’d get their act together. No one deserved happiness more than her brother, after all they’d been through. She was rooting for them, but she also reminded herself that she couldn’t interfere. There were some things that they had to figure out on their own. 

***

It was late and the moon was high when Luke felt a ticklish sensation at the edge of his mind. Someone was nearby, softly walking past the set of cabins at the edge of the shore. Luke sat up in his hammock and immediately pulled on a loose pair of trousers before quietly exiting his bunk. 

The stars were bright and the moon was full tonight, so the beach lay illuminated in soft white light. There was a figure standing near the water, staring out at the ocean in front of them. The man was bare from the waist up, wearing only a dark pair of flight pants. 

Luke knew who it was. He also knew that he should turn around and go back to his bunk, but he found himself quietly stepping through the sand towards the man. 

When he was about ten feet away, Luke saw the muscles in Din’s back tense but he didn’t turn around to confront Luke. He took that as a sign to proceed and this time Luke didn’t stop until he was standing beside Din. They weren’t touching, but if Luke stretched out his arm, he could have brushed the other man’s shoulder. They both continued to stare straight ahead at the water. 

After slowly counting to ten in his head, Luke took a deep breath and turned to look at Din. It almost knocked the wind out of him. The moonlight danced across Din’s tan skin; the balance of shadow and light bouncing off his bare torso and arms made him look like some kind of divine statue. His broad shoulders and chest carried scars that formed constellations across his skin. Each one informed Luke that this man knew how to survive, for better or worse. But his facial features were softer than one might expect after seeing his armor and watching him fight. His soft, chocolate brown eyes were bright in the moonlight. 

“You know in some cultures, it’s considered rude to stare.”

Luke blushed, and he knew it was visible even in the dark. Before he could respond, Din’s lips quirked in a small smile to show that he wasn’t serious. 

“At least I can tell when you’re joking now,” Luke replied, only after he was sure his voice wouldn’t quiver with all of his repressed emotions. “Please tell me if you’d like me to leave. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“No, it’s okay. I… hoped you would find me.”

Din’s voice was smoother without the helmet-- richer and more emotive. It sent shivers down Luke’s spine. It was so distracting that it took him an extra second to process what Din had just told him. His eyes widened as he searched the Mandalorian’s face for answers. 

“You did?” he asked, his tone conveying his surprise. 

“I’ve been… working on becoming more comfortable without my helmet on. Grogu likes to see my face without it. He’s still the only one I remove it in front of, but technically you’ve seen my face before so it doesn’t feel as intimidating.”

“Oh. That makes sense,” Luke replied, trying to ignore the part about him and focus instead on Grogu, who was obviously Din’s priority. “He loves you a lot. You’re like a father to him-”

“So I’ve been told.”

“It’s true though. I can feel your connection to each other. You don’t have to say it, but I know you love him too.”

Din sighed and looked down at his feet. His brow furrowed as he seemingly chose his next words carefully. “I care about him deeply. But sometimes I worry that I don’t know how to be a… that I don’t know how to be a good one.”   
  


Luke noted that he couldn’t even use the term “parent” or “father”. 

“You seem so confident when you’re with him. You have strong paternal instincts. I assumed it came naturally.” 

“I understand how to care for him but I’m scared that I… can’t give him the love he deserves. I have these feelings and they’re new, and it’s like I’m still trying to figure out what to do with them,” Din confessed, a frown marring his lovely face, “I’m sorry. I never talk this much.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s healing to express your feelings, especially when you’re unsure about something. Once you process it, you can let it go.”

“I’m unsure about a lot of things right now. I feel like I’m… changing but I’m not really in control of it.”

“No sentient being gets to live their life without change. The Force creates a constant state of flux,” Luke replied, sounding more like his Jedi Master persona again, “We’re all growing and rearranging, and to expect differently is to ignore the realities of personhood.” 

“Right. Well. Last year I was informed that I grew up in a cult. How’s that for a major life change?” Din scoffed. 

He moved to sit down on the beach towel that was still spread out in the sand from earlier in the day. Luke followed him and sat down with just enough distance that their bodies didn’t touch when he crossed his legs in a meditative position. Din stared out at the water as he continued, 

“I’ve been grappling with that information ever since I found out. I always believed in what my Creed stood for. I think I still believe in some of it, but maybe not all parts. But following The Way requires a strict adherence that I’m not sure I can give anymore.”

“You may be surprised to learn this, but I’m dealing with a very similar situation. The old Jedi Order was very strict. It required certain… detachments that I don’t think I believe in. I’m trying to forge a new path for us. I don’t want to make the same mistakes as my forbearers.” 

“I… didn’t know that,” Din said, turning to meet Luke’s gaze once more. Luke could tell by the man’s raised brows that he was genuinely surprised. He quickly reminded himself that Din was the least informed person in the galaxy about any matter not related to The Way. 

“We’re quite a pair,“ Luke commented, attempting to lighten the mood. He really wanted to see Din smile again, “A rogue Mandalorian and one of the last living Jedi. I wonder what our ancestors would think.” 

Din chuckled, “I’m sure we deserve a good talking-to in their minds. I can’t even begin to imagine how the leader of my Tribe would react to the thoughts I’m having right now. But it’s nice to have someone who understands. Thank you.”

“You can always talk to me, Din. About this or anything else you might be feeling.”

Din tilted his head and Luke felt mesmerized by his gaze. It may have been a trick of the light but Luke swore he caught Din’s eyes darting down to his lips and back up again. 

“Right now I feel like I still need my  _ beskar'gam _ to feel safe. I still don’t want to remove it in front of others. But... I want to remove it when I’m with you,” he confessed. 

***

Din took a small amount of satisfaction in the shock that spread across Luke’s face after his last statement. The Jedi stuttered for a moment but then clamped his mouth shut, staring closely at Din as if he needed to think very carefully about what he said next. 

Meanwhile, Din couldn’t stop thinking about how Luke was a contradiction in human form. Sometimes he spoke with wisdom far beyond his years, but on other occasions he stammered and faltered like the young farm boy he used to be. Din felt sympathy for the younger man. He knew what it was like to feel disconnected from the person the world expected you to be. 

Luke was currently still staring at his exposed face, but it didn’t feel humiliating or shameful to be bare in front of the Jedi-- it felt oddly thrilling. Luke’s eyes were blown wide, so bright and reflective that Din swore he could see the stars reflected in them. The younger man displayed his open admiration on his face without any hesitation. Din wasn’t sure what he’d done to make Luke look at him like that, but he knew he never wanted him to stop. 

“May I… touch you?”

Luke’s voice was so gentle and tender when he asked, not even a hint of judgment in his tone, that Din’s mouth immediately went dry. He merely nodded because he didn’t trust himself to respond without his voice cracking like a titillated teenager. 

He shuddered in anticipation as Luke sat up and shifted closer, holding his gaze the entire time. He reached out and gently brushed Din’s hair back from his face. The feeling of Luke’s fingers scraping across his scalp was almost enough to make Din see stars. He instinctively leaned into Luke’s palm as the Jedi repeated the motion, lingering a little longer this time. The warmth against his skin was pleasantly intimate, but not overwhelming. 

Din’s eyes fell closed as he let out a slow breath. No one had ever touched him like this before, at least not that he could remember. He tried to focus exclusively on the wonderful feeling of Luke’s nimble fingers carding through his hair, a few stray grains of sand rubbing into his scalp. Just like the waves, Luke’s fingers stroked smoothly over his head-- move away, stroke over his head, move away, repeat.

Then the fingers stopped, and the warmth from Luke’s hand was suddenly gone too, but there it was again, except now on his cheek, tipping his face up. Din could feel Luke’s sweet breath on his face but he paused there, lips hovering over his own in a silent request for permission. 

Luke was perceptive enough to recognize how touch-starved he was and he was respectful enough not to push Din’s boundaries. But now that they’d made it this far, Din wanted more and he wanted it now. Sure he’d had sex before, but this felt shockingly more intimate. When it came to the sweet simplicity of a kiss, he was a virgin. He’d never cared about it before, but now he felt an almost uncontrollable urge to feel Luke’s mouth on his. 

Din took the initiative and closed the gap, his lips brushing softly over Luke’s. The Jedi responded immediately, pressing his lips harder against Din’s. Then there was a hint of teeth, nibbling at his lower lip. A dart of a tongue, opening his mouth, deepening the kiss. Luke’s hands wrapped around his body, drawing him closer. 

Din’s mind went utterly still. He couldn’t think, he could only feel. The sensation of Luke’s hands rubbing across his back and down his bare sides was short-circuiting his brain. The only thing that grounded him was the sound of Luke’s soft moan when Din nibbled on his lip in return. A deep groan vibrated from his own chest as Luke gripped the hair at the nape of his neck. 

They finally broke apart, both gasping for breath, but they remained close together. Luke's thumb was lightly stroking the skin behind his ear.

“Your body is beautiful,” Luke said softly, his fingers drifting to brush lightly across Din’s chest. Din stared down at his own body, wondering if it had somehow changed without him noticing. But no, his scars and stretch marks and bruises were still there. What could this boy possibly see in him?

“You’re one to talk,” Din rasped, the pleasant buzzing sensation from the kiss loosening his tongue, “You look like you’ve jumped straight out of a pin-up poster. Like some kind of God of Light.”

Luke blushed furiously, “No I don’t.”

“Yes you do,” Din replied, feeling bold now. He let his own fingers trace lightly down Luke’s neck, and then across his chest. He’d made these motions before with other lovers, but never without his gloves on. Luke felt divine under his fingertips; taught muscle covered by velvet soft skin. Din wanted to feel every inch of him. 

“I’ve wanted to know what your body looked like under those Jedi robes for months now,” he continued, “I’ve imagined it. A lot.”

“Tell me,” Luke gasped as Din grazed his nipple, “Tell me what you imagined.” 

All Luke had to do was look at him with those lust-darkened blue eyes, and Din was lost. He’d give him anything. 

“I’ve pictured you laid out before me, completely bare, begging me to take the edge off. I see myself teasing you, I see your cock leaking in my hand. Just when you can’t take it anymore, you come for me, and then I’m kissing the tears away from those pretty blue eyes. You’re wrecked and you’re beautiful, and you’re  _ mine _ .” 

The sound of Luke’s desperate moan went straight to Din’s groin. He decided the sound of it echoing across the beach was the most wonderful sound in the galaxy. He had one hand squeezing Luke’s hip bone possessively, the other stroking up and down Luke’s neck using one long finger, but Din knew he had to stop this before they passed the point of no return. Luke was too important and Din still had some things he needed to say. 

Luke surged forward to kiss him again, but Din pulled back just slightly. 

“Before we go any further,” he panted, “I want to be upfront. I’m not the relationship type. I want to try but I don’t know if I’m capable of being a good partner. I’m not sure if I can give you what you want.”

“Din-”

“Listen to me, I don’t want to hurt you. I’ve already told you that I think about you all the time, but imagining it and actually being together are two very different things. You deserve someone who can be open and honest, someone who can handle the kind of life you lead in the spotlight. I don’t know if I can be that person.”

Luke was quiet for a moment. His eyes searched Din’s, and then he lifted one hand to cup the side of Din’s face and whispered, “Are you willing to try?”

He hesitated for only a brief moment. 

“Yes,” he answered, bringing his own hand up to cover Luke’s. And he truly meant it. He wasn’t confident that he’d succeed, but he’d try anything for Luke Skywalker, especially if it meant he’d have the chance to kiss him again. 

“Then we’ll figure it out together, as we go. And we don’t have to start tonight if you’re not ready.”

Din felt a blush creep over his own face this time at Luke’s reassurance. He didn’t deserve this kindness. Din was  _ ready _ in one sense of the term, but emotionally he felt rubbed raw from everything he’d revealed tonight. 

Luke cut his thoughts off with an open-mouth kiss before he managed to say anything else that may talk them out of it. It was a good plan, because Din decided to stop trying to speak and instead throw himself into the kiss.

They pulled apart after a few minutes, and Din wrapped an arm around Luke’s shoulder and leaned them both back until they were lying flat on the towel, looking up at the stars. Luke cuddled into his side and rested his chin on Din’s shoulder, and once again Din reveled in the exquisite sensation of feeling Luke’s warm body against his bare skin. After a few moments of pleasant silence, Luke tilted his head up and asked, 

“Have you ever felt the sun on your skin?”

“Not since I was a young child.”

“Stay with me until sunrise. No one will be up then, and we can make it back to the cabins before anyone sees.”

It was a risk. His instincts were telling him ‘no’, but Din was quickly learning that he was incapable of denying Luke anything. He wrapped his arms tighter around Luke and allowed the new feeling of “safety” to wash over him. He would be fine. They would be fine. 

“I’d love to watch the sunrise with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> It’s wild how Pedro Pascal is capable of having chemistry with anyone and anything, including men, women, puppets, and fake CGI people. I never thought I’d ship two characters who only share 5~ minutes of screen time but here we are. 
> 
> Also if you want to be extra cheesy, you can listen to “Island in the Sun” by Wheezer while reading this. That’s what I did while I was writing it.


End file.
